Phnom Penh Offers To Swap Prisoners For Veera And Ratree

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THAI-CAMBODIA RELATIONS

Phnom Penh offers to swap prisoners

THE NATION

Cambodia yesterday refused to free the two activists jailed on spy charges, but offered to swap them for Cambodians jailed in Thailand.

Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul said Phnom Penh insisted that Veera Somkwamkid and Ratree Wiwattanapaibul had to serve a portion of their jail term as stipulated in Cambodian law before being eligible to seek a royal pardon.

Surapong was in Phnom Penh on Wednesday to meet his counterpart Hor Namhong. Topping the agenda was the fate of Veera and Ratree, who were arrested along with other Thais on December 28 last year while inspecting a border area.

The other prisoners were freed after a Cambodian court suspended their jail terms, but Veera and Ratree were sentenced to eight and six years in jail, respectively.

Surapong said he would ask concerned authorities to consider Cambodia's latest offer, especially since this is the first such offer and Thailand has had no experience of this.

Meanwhile, Veera's mother, Wilaiwan, met Surapong at the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh to ask the minister to help secure her son and Ratree's freedom.

-- The Nation 2011-12-30

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Early release of two jailed Thai activists possible if prisoner swap deal done

PHNOM PENH, Dec 30 – Cambodia on Thursday reemphasised that the two Thai activists now jailed in a Cambodian prison must serve two thirds of their jail terms before a royal pardon could be granted, but said it was possible for the pair to be released earlier if the two countries could agree on a prisoner exchange, Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said here Thursday.

The visiting Thai foreign minister said after meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister Hor Namhong that they discussed a wide range of issues of mutual interest and that he raised the case of two jailed Thai activists with his Cambodian counterpart.

Mr Surapong said that the Cambodian foreign minister insisted that Veera Somkwamkid, a leader of the People's Network against Corruption and a high-profile activist in the Thai Patriots Network, and his secretary Ratree Pipatanapaiboon must serve two thirds of their jail terms before royal pardon from the Cambodian monarch could be requested.

Hor Namhong however said that there was a possibility for early release if Thailand and Cambodia could agree on a prisoner exchange programme.

"According to Cambodian law, a prisoner must be jailed at least two-thirds of his jail term before being considered for royal pardon from the king," Hor Namhong told reporters in a joint press briefing after the meeting.

However, he said that it is possible to release the two Thais earlier if the government of Thailand has a request to Cambodia for a meeting "to exchange prisoners as a package" agreement.

Mr Surapong said that such a proposal was new and Thailand had never tried this way before and he would ask agencies concerned to explore the possibility of the option.

Mr Veera and Ms Ratree were arrested on Dec 29 last year, along with five others including then Democrat Party member of parliament Panich Vikitsreth, after they illegally entered Cambodian territory to observe the border demarcation process.

The five were released in late January after the Cambodian court suspended their sentences of nine months in jail.

A Cambodian court on Feb 1 ruled that the pair were guilty of espionage, illegal entry, and trespassing in a military zone. Mr Veera was sentenced to an eight-year jail term and fined a 1.8 million riel (US$450) while Ms Ratree was handed a six-year jail term and a 1.2 million riel ($300) fine.

Meanwhile, Wilaiwan Somkwamkid, Veera’s mother, and a brother of Ms Ratree met Mr Surapong at the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh, requesting him to ask Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to release Mr Veera and Ms Ratree early.

Ms Wilaiwan said that today marked the one year anniversary of her son’s arrest and she hoped that he would be freed to celebrate the New Year with family members.

In a related development, Mr Surapong said he had discussed a plan to resume negotiations with Cambodia on a plan for joint development of the two countries overlapping maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand through the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) which was the principal negotiation mechanism.

He said both parties agreed to open a Stung Bath border checkpoint near Poipet checkpoint in Banteay Meanchey province as soon as possible in response to the expanded trade between the two nations.

Cambodia has requested Thailand not to use force to arrest Cambodians who may unintentionally stray into Thai territory because of the poorly demarcated border while they were hunting and foraging for food in the forest. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-12-30